Sometimes the summertime can seem to just drag on and on. Many places — especially in Texas in the south central states — can have summer-like temperatures ranging from early May all the way through October. That’s nearly half the year when it’s not just warm, but hot.
Meanwhile, places farther north have a much shorter summer where temperatures peak early and then fall seems to come quickly after. It’s not unusual for some spots to see snow before summer is even officially over.
Either way, if you’re looking forward to a peak in temperatures or dreading it because it means cooler weather is on the way, it’s always good to know when to you figure things will start cooling down.
Thankfully, we have the perfect tool for you to use. It’s a map created by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) that shows in precise detail when every spot in the continental United States see their highest temperatures, on average.
The data comes from the annual day of the highest temperature from 1981-2010, so it’s slightly outdated and we’d expect an update soon. Still, you can get a great view of surprising differences between the hottest days of the year depending on where you live.
Take a look at the map, courtesy of NOAA:
What stands out to us are the major variances of the hottest days of the year across areas that actually quite close to each other. For instance, the coast of California can see their hottest temps in late August… or even September, while areas just a hundred miles inland might see their hottest temps a full month earlier.
Meanwhile, the Big Bend area of Texas see the earliest hottest day, peaking in the first half of June. A couple of hundred miles to the east, however, doesn’t have temps peak until late August.
One thing is for sure, if you are sick of the heat this summer, avoid the south central United States. Most places there don’t’ see a break in the heat until August and also heat up early in the season.
Where does the temperature peak where you live? Let us know in the comments below.
